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Billboard adverts have gone up in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
The ad campaign coincides with the launch of a fundraising campaign to lobby for the phasing out of state-funded 'faith schools'.
Ariane Sherine, original creator of the Atheist Bus Campaign, said children should have the freedom to grow up and decide for themselves what they believe.
‘I hope this poster campaign will encourage the government, media and general public to see children as individuals, free to make their own choices, and accord them the liberty and respect they deserve.'
The posters display some of the labels routinely applied to children that imply beliefs such as ‘Catholic', ‘Protestant', ‘Muslim', ‘Hindu' or ‘Sikh' mixed up together with labels that people would never apply to young children such as ‘Marxist', ‘Anarchist', ‘Socialist', ‘Libertarian' or ‘Humanist'.
In front of the shadowy labels are happy children, with the slogan, ‘Please don't label me. Let me grow up and choose for myself'.
Richard Dawkins, vice president of the British Humanist Association HA and co-sponsor of the campaign, said.: ‘Nobody would seriously describe a tiny child as a "Marxist child" or an "Anarchist child" or a "Post-modernist child". Yet children are routinely labelled with the religion of their parents. We need to encourage people to think carefully before labelling any child too young to know their own opinions and our adverts will help to do that.'
Comments
brilliant, i've always thought this should be the case.
Why? Society is expected to guide children in every other aspect of their lives. Should we abandon them to develop their own moral and ethical code in the name atheism? The analogy between say, Christianity and Marxism is puerile. One is formed of a moral code, the other a socio-political imperative. If you're going to promote such an opinion, at least base it on a sound ideology.
i agree we should guide children to develop their 'own' moral code, to understand the difference between good and bad. this does not mean it should be attached to a particular religion. in fact through the ages 'religion' has caused a hell of lot of harm and pain. i think young adults should be able to make their own minds up when they're good and ready. children should be exposed to all beliefs and be taught to be tolerant of all beliefs, not brainwashed from age 0 that this is the way it's done and everybody else has got it wrong. i'm not religious in any way but i believe in being a good person and don't mind or judge people who are religious. i grew up with Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Christians and Atheists, i've also met some Buddhists, they were all nice people but not just because of religion. whos ideology is the 'right' one, yours?
To be stuck with a name you're not fond of and had no say in is no fun, also.
I agree entirely with the sentiment of this, as children can't be expected to choose a religion rationally for themselves, so parents foisting their religion upon their child and then claiming they are Christian or whatever is just craziness. However this is entirely unworkable, as what sort of parent is not going to try and teach their child the moral code that they believe is right? Religion is the code of morals for the religious, so children will always be taught what their parents believe \(to a greater or lesser extent), especially considering most religions say you should convert people. It's a shame though as without the indoctrination of children, I expect religious subscriber rates would drop right off in no time at all, and then there would only be religious people who had chosen to be religious. Which just makes sense.
Good. It's tough enough for kids to get their heads around one religion, let alone a hand-full. As I tell my nephew \(5), they're just views and you can believe in what you want to. He chose Doctor Who. Smart boy!
This is being blown slightly out of proportion, no? I was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended a school that from the ages of 6-12 taught children about all religions whilst my family practised Catholicism at home. I don't think my parents' choice to raise me in their religion has affected my ability to choose for myself! In fact it has made me more sensitive and open-minded towards the religious views of others. Religion can take many forms and I think it is naive to think that a family's religion will 'brain-wash' a child to the extent suggested. I agree that there are some religions that take out-dated views to the extreme but again it is the individual's choice as an adult to decide on their personal beliefs. Children are directed in all aspects of their development and as long as parents don't assume complete control of these kinds of choices as the child grows up there is much to be gained from open-minded religious education. May I also add that as part of my parents religion they had to agree at marriage to raise any off-spring as Roman Catholics. Although not particularly religious myself anymore I feel more in touch with my family's heritage because of my parents' choice as well as open to education about other religions.
Children need guidance, not indoctrination. This is a good idea.
I can remember \(deep in the mists of time now) being thrown out of RE at school for suggesting we should be discussing other religions as well and not just Christianity
Also, to Sue Turner, children are exceptional at taking on multiple ideas and generally have no bias towards learning about different points of view. I am very grateful that I have at least some knowledge of other major religions and I think it is only right in modern Britain to educate children of the mixed society, including various religious beliefs, that we live amongst.
it could be worse Grilla... you could be called Tarzan.. (or Jayne even :)
Well Rebecca. To say that they have no bias is untrue, because the bias comes from the people who 'label' them in the first place. And yes, they are little sponges, and long may that be the case. I have always had my own 'label'. I was christened a Catholic but I have never been a practising one. It all means squat-diddly to me, but it does feed the spurious assumptions of others. That, I think, is part of the problem.
Comments
Jayne Marar - 18/11/2009
brilliant, i've always thought this should be the case.
James Vigar - 18/11/2009
Why? Society is expected to guide children in every other aspect of their lives. Should we abandon them to develop their own moral and ethical code in the name atheism? The analogy between say, Christianity and Marxism is puerile. One is formed of a moral code, the other a socio-political imperative. If you're going to promote such an opinion, at least base it on a sound ideology.
Jayne Marar - 18/11/2009
i agree we should guide children to develop their 'own' moral code, to understand the difference between good and bad. this does not mean it should be attached to a particular religion. in fact through the ages 'religion' has caused a hell of lot of harm and pain. i think young adults should be able to make their own minds up when they're good and ready. children should be exposed to all beliefs and be taught to be tolerant of all beliefs, not brainwashed from age 0 that this is the way it's done and everybody else has got it wrong. i'm not religious in any way but i believe in being a good person and don't mind or judge people who are religious. i grew up with Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Christians and Atheists, i've also met some Buddhists, they were all nice people but not just because of religion. whos ideology is the 'right' one, yours?
Grilla Login - 19/11/2009
To be stuck with a name you're not fond of and had no say in is no fun, also.
Faustino B - 19/11/2009
I agree entirely with the sentiment of this, as children can't be expected to choose a religion rationally for themselves, so parents foisting their religion upon their child and then claiming they are Christian or whatever is just craziness. However this is entirely unworkable, as what sort of parent is not going to try and teach their child the moral code that they believe is right? Religion is the code of morals for the religious, so children will always be taught what their parents believe \(to a greater or lesser extent), especially considering most religions say you should convert people. It's a shame though as without the indoctrination of children, I expect religious subscriber rates would drop right off in no time at all, and then there would only be religious people who had chosen to be religious. Which just makes sense.
Sue Turner - 19/11/2009
Good. It's tough enough for kids to get their heads around one religion, let alone a hand-full. As I tell my nephew \(5), they're just views and you can believe in what you want to. He chose Doctor Who. Smart boy!
Rebecca Steinitz - 19/11/2009
This is being blown slightly out of proportion, no? I was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended a school that from the ages of 6-12 taught children about all religions whilst my family practised Catholicism at home. I don't think my parents' choice to raise me in their religion has affected my ability to choose for myself! In fact it has made me more sensitive and open-minded towards the religious views of others. Religion can take many forms and I think it is naive to think that a family's religion will 'brain-wash' a child to the extent suggested. I agree that there are some religions that take out-dated views to the extreme but again it is the individual's choice as an adult to decide on their personal beliefs. Children are directed in all aspects of their development and as long as parents don't assume complete control of these kinds of choices as the child grows up there is much to be gained from open-minded religious education. May I also add that as part of my parents religion they had to agree at marriage to raise any off-spring as Roman Catholics. Although not particularly religious myself anymore I feel more in touch with my family's heritage because of my parents' choice as well as open to education about other religions.
Chris Worsley - 19/11/2009
Children need guidance, not indoctrination. This is a good idea. I can remember \(deep in the mists of time now) being thrown out of RE at school for suggesting we should be discussing other religions as well and not just Christianity
Rebecca Steinitz - 19/11/2009
Also, to Sue Turner, children are exceptional at taking on multiple ideas and generally have no bias towards learning about different points of view. I am very grateful that I have at least some knowledge of other major religions and I think it is only right in modern Britain to educate children of the mixed society, including various religious beliefs, that we live amongst.
Jayne Marar - 19/11/2009
it could be worse Grilla... you could be called Tarzan.. (or Jayne even :)
Sue Turner - 20/11/2009
Well Rebecca. To say that they have no bias is untrue, because the bias comes from the people who 'label' them in the first place. And yes, they are little sponges, and long may that be the case. I have always had my own 'label'. I was christened a Catholic but I have never been a practising one. It all means squat-diddly to me, but it does feed the spurious assumptions of others. That, I think, is part of the problem.